Job summary
This is a long-established post and locally recognised as one of the best in this organisation for those looking to progress in applied psychology careers. The post holder provides input across 2 divisions including specific roles in Pain Management, ICU, Cancer care,, and the treatment of insomnia, in close liaison with the psychology lead (NMSK+ASCR) in a flexible support role, including:

• patient interventions, supported by prior training and clinical supervision
• Providing expertise to other areas of the service as agreed with the NMSK/ASCR psychology lead.
• Actively undertaking regular clinical supervision with senior practitioners within the department and elsewhere in the service to maintain post-graduation professional development.
• contributing towards ongoing service improvement and research projects within ASCR, and in NMSK as directed by the ASCR lead/ supervising psychologist.

The service is engaged in multiple projects for service improvement, often in partnership with external organisations. This work is supported by professional development opportunities suited to those pursuing a career in health care,developing professional skills and knowledge for working in an acute hospital and regional centre. The job entails a strong teamwork component and the post holder will contribute to, and able to rely on, a close and supportive team culture for professional development.

Main duties of the job
The post-holder has a key liaison role in preparing patients for group work, compilation of profile and outcome databases with processing of audit data.

Supporting project work,, preparation of reports, other documentation, and literature searches.

Liaison with service volunteers.

Small 1:1 caseload as agreed with the line manager

Administering and processing of psychometric tests.

Developing and following research protocols

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of 2.6 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom.

Chaired by Ingrid Barker and led by Maria Kane as Chief Executive, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust aims to transform the way healthcare is delivered locally with a clear focus on making a difference for what we call our Four Ps:

• Better outcomes for our Patients
• More opportunities for our People
• Fairer more consistent care for our Population
• Best Value for Public Purse

Our vision for five years from now:

• Patients will wait less time to be diagnosed and treated, and they will have the same high-quality experience and outcomes, regardless of who they are or where they live.
• We will meet rising demand by maximising the use of our available resources.
• More care will be delivered nearer to patients, in their homes or the community.
• Digital technologies will have transformed the way we work and the way we deliver care.
• Our people will feel engaged, energised and empowered by their work.
• We will be known as a place where people enjoy working, training and building a career.
• Our volume of globally renowned research and innovation will have grown significantly.
• We will contribute to system financial balance

Job responsibilities
This department of pain management and health psychology specialises in interventions concerning health crisis and long term conditions, involving trauma, surgery, cancer and other life-changing health matters. As such the post holder:

• will undertake an appropriate level of clinical supervision, making all reasonable efforts to ensure the effectiveness of the supervision arrangements in providing safe and effective psychological care for patients.
• will prioritise and manage their own face-to-face work with clients whilst also balancing this, through a process of line management, with the collective responsibilities and goals of both the department and North Bristol NHS Trust.

This department is constantly engaged in project work and service improvement, processes, often in partnership with, or under contract to, external organisations. Assistant psychologists have a close involvement in delivering these and are responsible for ensuring compliance with any specified standards and procedures associated with such projects in addition to usual NHS standards and criteria. Usually this means that the post holder is therefore required to follow research protocols involving additional consent, evaluation, and data processing commitments. This is in addition to always adhering to the policies and procedures of both the department and NBT.

The specific areas of duty and responsibility in this post are:

1. To compile and maintain databases in association with the head of department regarding the clinical assessment, audit, and research activities undertaken by the department.
2. To support the recruitment, training and on-going support of volunteers in the service, including on-going evaluation of the roles that volunteers take and the re-design prompted by findings/feedback.
3. The provision of psychology input to assigned areas of the service, providing psychological interventions with individual patients and groups referred to the service who have been assessed as needing such interventions. This is likely to also involve organising and coordinating aspects of delivering group-based interventions for pain, post critical care distress, cancer recovery, and pain-related insomnia. The prioritising and throughput of this work is agreed with the line manager.
4. The coordination of audit data gathering, conducting psychometric assessments of patients referred to the service. Providing research advice and consultation within the department for the preparation of new research protocols and for the presentation and dissemination of research findings.
5. Participating in the training and support of staff from outside the department in respect of the principles of psychological care and biopsychosocial interventions in long term conditions.
6. The post holder will work to a Job Plan (reviewed at least annually) and linked to this, a professional development plan, to advance competencies and knowledge regarding the clinical work of the department. This is established and monitored through participation in a performance review.
7. The post holder will fully participate in clinical governance processes, service meetings, clinical audit, the development and observation of service standards and improvement initiatives, observing local and national guidance.
8. The post holder will undertake regular clinical supervision with a senior clinical psychologist from the department (usually the line manager) in line with explicit supervision arrangements. The post holder will at all times observe professional, and ethical guidelines, and stated good practise guidelines for clinical psychologists, as set out by the BPS and HCPC.
9. Participate in the professional organisation of psychologists and related professionals within BFT

Qualifications
Essential

• good honours degree in psychology (usually first or upper second class)
• relevant experience as an assistant psychologist
• NHS work experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).